Sources of InspirationThe effects of travel on creative output.

© Victor Khramov 2013

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The Need for InspirationMy time as a foreign designer.

Inspirationisthesourceofmanydifferentkindsofcreativepursuit.Itisthesparkthatignitesthefuelofskillandtalent.Despiteitsimportance,itisoftenanintangiblething.Similarlywhatmaybeinspiringtoacertainperson,atacertaintime,maynotbeasequallystimulatingtosomeoneelseinadif-

ferentenvironment.ForthisHonorsProject,IdecidedtoexaminemypersonalsourcesofinspirationasIworkedandtraveledinEurope.

ItraveledtoEuropeinordertocompleteaninternshipasperthere-quirementsofTheUniversityofCincinnati’sIndustrialDesignprogram.Itwas

myfourthsuchexperience,butthefirstwithaEuropeanfirm.Inadditiontomydailyprofessionalwork,Itookadvantageofmysurroundingstocompletesomepersonalwork.Thefollowingisaconcisesummaryofwhatinspiredme

tocreateduringthethreemonthsthatIlivedandtraveledinEurope.

About

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The Making of InspirationThree parts that form the whole.

Contents

Forthedurationofthisexperience,Ibelievethefollowingthreethingswerethemostusefulinmysearchforinspiration:sourcesofinformation,

changinggeography,andtime.Iwillelaborateonthesefurther.

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SourcesLooking out and in.

Making Of

MymainpurposeinEuropewastoperformatwork.Myprimarygoalsweretosupportmyemployerandimprovemydesignskillsinaprofessional

environment.AssuchIcouldalwayscountonmyworkenvironmenttoengageandstimulatemythinking.Afterworkandonweekends,thetime

wasmyowntopursuemyowninformationandmakemyownconclusions.Learningnewthingsatworkallowedmetobetterquestionthedesign

choicesinmypersonalwork.AssuchIdeemedthesetwoseparateenvironmentsimportantforthestimulationofinspiration.

Belgian Comic Strip Center; Brussels, BE

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GeographyDrawing upon wide and varied influences.

Making Of

Europeisaparticularlyfantasticplacefortravelbecauseitofferssubtlydifferentexperiencesinrelativecloseproximity.Thecountriesthat

makeupthecontinentvaryinarchitecture,culture,andgeneralimpression.Travelrevealstheseminutedifferencesamongstthesimilarbackdrop,which

enhancestheirdistinctness.Thisisasamplingofthevarietythatcanbefound,sourcedfromthefourcountriesItraveledbetween.

A street in Bruges, BE

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TimeAllowing for experience to accumulate and distill.

Making Of

Thefinalingredientnecessaryfortheenticementofinspirationistime.Idon’tbelieveI’maloneinknowingthevalueofsittingonanideaand

lettingallthatyouknowworkitsmagictowardresolvinganoutcome.Often,allthatislefttodoisallowtimeforthemindtoputthepiecestogetherinthebackground.InEurope,timewasoftenplentifulonthetrainsandparksofthe

Europeancities.

Train arrival; Antwerp Central Station

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The ResultsCollected works from time spent abroad.

Output

Thisdocumentandthephotoscontainedwithinareasmuchtheoutputfromthisexperienceastheworksdetailedfurther.Asdesignis

mypassionaswellasmyprofession,nearlyeverythingIdohasadesignapplication.Assuch,thisexperiencewasachancetoimprovenotjustmy

designskills,butmyphotographyaswell.Withintheenclosedworks,you’llfindinstancesofstory-telling,iterativedesign,andsketching,allskillsthat

standalonewhileenhancingmyskillsasadesigner.

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Story Book ConceptStory and illustration.

Thisprojectistheproductofmylong-standingdesiretosimplytellachildren’sstory.Theexercise,whileappearingsimpleatfirst,demonstrates

designthinkinginthecreationofthestoryoutline,iterationofcharacterdesign,andtheemotionoftheactualstorytelling.Thisstoryconceptalso

featuressimplelinedrawingsinblackandwhiteallowingthechildtocolortheirownstorybookastheyseefit.Onlythemaincharactersarecoloredto

excitetheimagination.

Results

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Initial inspiration and my surroundings.

ViewsofthecityofAntwerpformedmyinitialimpressionsofEurope.Thesettingwasfascinatingenoughtoalwaysholdmyinterestnomatter

whereIexplored.

Results

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Setting the scene.

pen on paper; Photoshop

Thecitywouldbecomethesettingforthestory.Herethebuildingsthatformthebackdropforanearlypageareenhancedwithcolor.Thisstyle

choicewasultimatelyonlyreservedforthemaincharacters.

Results

Results

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Story outline and page mock-ups.

Anystorystartswithanoutline.Herethenumberandcontentofpagesismappedouttoensurethestoryiseasilyunderstood,while

maintainingastrongvisualdynamic.

pen, pencil

Results

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Old and new sources of visual style.

EverywhereIwent,Iwasstruckbythecontrastofoldandnew.ThatwasmostevidentinthevarietyofgraffitiallaroundEurope,combinedwith

thestained-glassartofancientchurches.

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Exploring character visual style.

Thecharactersweredrawnuntiltheyfeltright.Ultimately,tofitthemoodofthestory,theanimalsbecamefullbodied,andnearlyrealistic,with

humanexpressionsandmovements.

Results

Results

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People watching: dress & pose.

ThestreetsofEurope,werefullofinteresting,andinterestinglooking,individuals.Fromstylishfashiontotraditionaldress,therewasnoshortageof

inspirationtobegleanedfromEurope’sresidents.

Thecharactersinthestoryareveryactive.Toensuretheposescorrespondedwiththeactions,extensiveiterationwasdonetoensurethemassesofthe

animalsmovedasclosetoreality.Here,themotionofthecatisexploredandfinessedashetugsonthetailofadog.

Results

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He did his best to keep dogs from peeing on it.

Exploring character motion.

marker; pen & Photoshop

Exploring character motion.

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Results

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Results

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Results

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Old world luxury and intricate detail.

Richdetailsandextravagantuseofmaterialisaqualityintheartofthearistocracy.TheseworkscanbefoundinmuseumsalloverEurope.

Time-Honored Craft

Results

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Watch IllustrationsFreelance visualization.

Thesesketchesweredoneinpreparationforpresentationdrawingsforadesignerofaparticularhigh-endwatch.

Results

graphite on paper

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Forms in glass and steel.

Tocontrasttheelaboratedetailsofoldarchitecture.Moderndesignsfavorthestraightlineandhigh-techmaterials.

Cutting-Edge Modernity

Results

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Results

graphite, pen on paper

Upcoming portfolio projects.

Thesearethebeginningsoffutureportfolioprojects.Examinationsoftraditionalformsonmodernappliances.WorkbegunwhileinEurope.

Modern Appliances

wwwv

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Professional WorkA brief overview of work for my employer.

ThemainfocusofthispresentationandclientNDAspreventmefromshowingallbutthemostbrieflookatwhatIdidintheoffice.Nonethelessit’snoteworthyasaproductofthesameenvironmentresponsibleforthe

aforementionedworks.

Results

graphite, pen on paper; Photoshop

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The Tools The mechanics of design work.

Beforemycamera,andbeforemypreferenceforpens,theultimatenecessityforencouraginginspirationismynotebook.Theonepicturedfits

comfortablyintoajacketpocket,allowingmetotakeitanywhere.Shownhereisoneofthefirstexplorationofscenesforthestory,andtheveryfirst

sketchesfortheteakettle.

graphite, pen

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Final ThoughtsLast remarks and contact information.

Thisisbynomeansanexhaustivestudyoninspiration,insteadthisismeanttoresembleadiaryentrythatreflectsonmytimeinEurope.Icanbe

contactedformoreinformationat:khramovr@gmail.comMorephotoscanbeviewedatmypersonalblog:khramovr.tumblr.com

Thefullstorybookcanbefoundat:http://db.tt/7DDwiaCj

Allphotos,text,andillustrationscopyrightVictorKhramov2013.

Epilogue